The main prize: 900 000 Kč

Proposal č. 24

Atelier: Maxwan Architects + Urbanists (Nizozemí)

Evaluation of Proposal : The basic idea of the proposal is simple and clear: to change the "Black Meadow" to a "cultural meadow" - a new type of public space with new socio-cultural identity, which will be the place for various activities, which will be flanked by a "ring" of (not only) cultural buildings. The ring creates a transition zone between the historical center and the scenic character represented by the meadow and the river. The proposal places the individual buildings within the territory of the former exhibition area without entirely overbuilding it. Conversely, it dedicates a generous, open vacant space in its core area. This space will serve as the main center, the focus of cultural activities of Ostrava, not only in 2015.

The individual buildings are designed as solitaires, loosely dependent on each other, which are united by the lining promenade and the possible expansion of its activities from the interior to the exterior of the meadow. The proposal succeeds in easily integrating the existing buildings (Hall A, Hall G, the former market hall building) with the new ones. It finds a special place for a concert hall, which partly stands out of the ring and is more connected to the city, within close proximity of the two theaters.

The ideological core of the project is the reduced, but dramatically transformed meadow, newly sloping to the Ostravice river and urging for an intensive use. As one of the few the authors are working with the third dimension of the meadow. Via a gentle terrain profiling they succeed in dividing and hierarchizing the space. Even though the proposal partly anticipates the future form of the individual buildings, the proposed concept will work with whatever form these buildings take. Their concrete form will emerge from separate architectural competitions.

For us the greatest quality of the proposal is finding the appropriate level of a clearly defined character, and yet enough openness for future development and phasing. The gradual completion will only reinforce the concept, which is consistent with the definition of a successful masterplan.

2. prize: 500 000 Kč

Proposal č. 49

Atelier: SIAL architekti a inženýři spol. s r.o. Liberec

Evaluation of Proposal : The platform disconnected from the urban structure creates an open urban system, which allows, within the given limits, the gradual development with buildings of various functions and architectural expressions.

The concentration of materials and the wide variety of activities support their mutual overlap and interaction.

The author offers many phasing options, by quadrants or individual sites.The cultural forum development linking the existing central part of the city with the river and the castle creates by the given tight form the space for the newly created park between the southern edge of the city and the watercourse. The proposal offers a different perspective from the other valued proposals.

3. prize: 400 000 Kč

Proposal č. 8

Evaluation of Proposal : The authors named the project the "Wild Urbanism" and it is an experiment using public space for the interaction between different kinds of cultures represented by different users and different parallel activities. Discovering the unknown and the unpredictable, the confrontation of Ostrava and Europe. The machine for testing of different cultures.

A healthy natural forest as a principle of the uniqueness of the architectural design, structured into the natural surroundings, the glade and the forest as a meeting and convergence place.

A unique experiment with landscape and urbanism, an original solution with multiple interpretations of the landscape, the meadow, the black and Ostrava phenomenon, the non-hierarchized pavilion structure arrangement.

The unique and phenomenal territory and space. The proposal globally reveals and addresses the issues of the ecology of landscape and of the Ostrava region, the social and sociological issues, and creates the author architectural vocabulary of archetype, typology and cluster. The project is a lifestyle strategy.

From the beginning the jury positively perceived the uniqueness and poetics of the solution, and later the jury discussed the positive interpretations of a "happy life".

SPECIAL APPRECIATION

Award: 62 500 Kč

Proposal č. 25

Atelier: NL Architects (Nizozemí)

Evaluation of Proposal : It is based on feeling the strong potential of the existing green and of the river phenomenon. According to its own terms it offers the concept of an "urban park"', consisting of nearly 30 architectural objects in a freely-designed park green that are spread regularly. In pursuit of the maximum connection with the river area, it transfers the existing coastal road to the interface area of the existing block development of the center and Černá louka itself. It finishes the disturbed development in a coordinated manner and thus creates a clear urban interface with a specific potential.

The parterre area of the park is designed as a playground for every generation. It presents a catalogue of architectural forms of the different functional types of the buildings, deliberately not seeking the unity of expression, but rather the maximum diversity of forms. The coordination is seen in their volume similarities and the regular spreading across the territory. Clustering is forbidden. But that is also a problem because the building programs of the individual buildings are very different.

Award: 62 500 Kč

Proposal č. 45

Evaluation of Proposal : The jury appreciated the clear concept based on respect for the specific character of Černá louka as a place with a special combination of natural conditions on the one hand, and social and city-formative functions on the other.

The persuasive proposal of the two layers was evaluated positively. The base layer of landscape shaped meadow dominates; it is an area with low vegetation without formal structures and adapted for free movement. On it, without any solid anchor, there is a layer of a minimum number of objects with the mandatory functions, which are only very loosely connected to each other in contrast to the organized and strictly shaped buildings of the adjacent town.

This composition allows to create at a relatively large distance the desired contact between the city block development and the river. At the same time it offers an extremely flexible space for a variety of social, cultural and leisure activities practically in the center of the city and thereby promotes an environment of natural qualities to a socially valuable space.

Perhaps the crucial aspect of the proposal, however, is the accentuation of the context. In it Černá louka becomes just one of the links in the multi-kilometer green belt along the Ostravice river, however, it is a single link, in which the natural environment blends with the cultural layer. Thus the place spontaneously becomes a natural focus of the large area.

The jury appreciated the surprisingly simple plan to achieve a positive outcome and also stated that the proposal is realistic, economically acceptable and fully corresponds to the assessment according to the competition criteria.